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Richie Byrne - RIP

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    #32
    Greyspoke
    Registered Users Posts: 378 ✭✭Greyspoke


    I don't do any of the regular social media stuff and its years since I posted on Boards but I just felt I had to register my huge sadness at hearing of Richie's passing. Its only a few weeks since I last saw him at the Dirty Dames race on Three Rock, helping him to his feet before the prize giving. Sure he looked a bit rough but you still felt that if anyone would pull through then Richie would.
    Yes, he managed to get on the wrong side of people - probably all of us at some point but often with good justification, but his heart was always in the right place when it came to mountain biking. I regret not getting out on the bike with him more often because they were always good fun times.
    Buddy, I'll miss you so much - there are tears in my eyes now writing this.
    Much love to Carol, Sophie and family - I hope Richie has left you with some of his strength to help you bear this. Justin


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    #33
    terrydel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,881 ✭✭✭terrydel


    RIP to him.
    Anyone got a link to his twitter page or his cancer blog, its always nice to read that kind of inspiring stuff.


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    #34
    asteroids over berlin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,115 ✭✭✭asteroids over berlin


    RIP Mr.Byrne :cool:


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    #35
    bullvine
    Registered Users Posts: 2,828 ✭✭✭bullvine


    Tenzor07 wrote: »
    Any club secretaries out there could nominate Richie for induction into the Cycling Ireland Hall of Fame:

    http://www.cyclingireland.ie/cycling-news-item/cycling-ireland-hall-of-fame-proposals/2207

    That would be unreal.


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    #36
    bullvine
    Registered Users Posts: 2,828 ✭✭✭bullvine


    I am planning on setting up an account for people who can send stories of him from the past and the encounters with the mad dog.. It will do the rounds on facebook etc. but will let you know what I am looking.

    May look at a book or something, my wife is from a publishing background so that's the plan.


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    #37
    Eamonnator
    Registered Users Posts: 6,561 ✭✭✭Eamonnator


    I was at the funeral yesterday. What a turn out, The church was jam packed.
    It was a reflection of the regard, in which Richie was held.
    I loved the moment, when the priest said Richie was "The Grandfather" of Irish mountain biking. Someone in the congregation immediately corrected him by shouting "The Godfather". It drew a great round of applause.
    There were hundreds of people there in biking jerseys from various clubs around the place. I wore an Ireland jersey from 2004(I was manager of the Irish DH team)
    When Richie's coffin was being brought from the church, there was a guard of honour and a "Helmet Salute" People had brought helmets and as the coffin passed everybody raised their helmets. There was also an group of mountain bikers, who escorted the hearse from the church.
    A friend of Richie's delivered the eulogy, which perfectly encapsulated Richie's love of life, family, friends and biking.
    The ceremony was lovely. I laughed and cried in equal measure.
    R.I.P.


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    #38
    Tomred13
    Registered Users Posts: 290 ✭✭Tomred13


    Theres a mtb spin organised for next sunday on ballinastoe trails in honour of the "Godfather" if anyones interested. will post times etc tomorrow.
    D


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    #39
    bullvine
    Registered Users Posts: 2,828 ✭✭✭bullvine


    Greyspoke wrote: »
    I don't do any of the regular social media stuff and its years since I posted on Boards but I just felt I had to register my huge sadness at hearing of Richie's passing. Its only a few weeks since I last saw him at the Dirty Dames race on Three Rock, helping him to his feet before the prize giving. Sure he looked a bit rough but you still felt that if anyone would pull through then Richie would.
    Yes, he managed to get on the wrong side of people - probably all of us at some point but often with good justification, but his heart was always in the right place when it came to mountain biking. I regret not getting out on the bike with him more often because they were always good fun times.
    Buddy, I'll miss you so much - there are tears in my eyes now writing this.
    Much love to Carol, Sophie and family - I hope Richie has left you with some of his strength to help you bear this. Justin

    You knew him very well, he fell out with everyone, that's just the way he was. The eulogy was amazing by Damo and in the crematorium, one of his oldest friends said a speech about his love of writing and Robert E Howard and quoted a line from Conan the barbarian. What a way to go.

    The cycling community is top class, the way they celebrated his life he would have loved it.


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    #40
    Subcomandante Marcos
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,683 ✭✭✭Subcomandante Marcos


    Only found out about Richie's passing from a post by Greg Callaghan on Facebook.
    Great to see Greg finishing 7th over all in the Enduro World Series after an amazing season and his cousin Killian finishing 4th in the juniors.

    Greg has been very vocal in his thankfulness to the effort Richie put into people like himself and the scene as a whole and I think it's fair to say that the fact that Ireland has two of the best enduro riders on the planet can in part be attributed to Richie's years of hard work and dedication.

    I just wish I was still involved with a club so I could petition my secretary to nominate Richie to the Irish cycling hall of fame.


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    #41
    bullvine
    Registered Users Posts: 2,828 ✭✭✭bullvine


    If anyone has a decent story about him good or bad, if you could send them to talesofrichie@gmail.com and if you know anyone that might know him, that might want to contribute that would be awesome, I have contacted most of his friends as well. It might not go anywhere but you never know.


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    #42
    Tomred13
    Registered Users Posts: 290 ✭✭Tomred13


    Last BLAST for Richie..

    THE LAST BLAST
    On Sunday 9th October there is a spin taking place in Ballinastoe in memory of the Godfather of MTB. We are inviting anyone who knew Richie to join this event, individuals, clubs, close friends, distant friends and former friends. This is a chance for the Mountain Biking community to come together as a whole, remember the Legend and show our support for Carol and Sophie.
    Meeting place is the biking.ie hut, we will ride up to the start of the old Blast, and race back down. Leaving the hut at 11am. If you are injured, or a non biker by all means come along to watch the madness.
    We will be doing a collection for Carol and Sophie. Please bring what you can and donate at the biking.ie hut. Please have your donation in an envelope.
    Adrian will be there to capture what should be an historic event.
    We hope to see you all there, for what will be the biggest Sunday spin of all time.
    Parking for the event will be in the same field as the Gravity Enduro.
    The field will be open from 9am.
    NO parking outside Ballinastoe please as the trails will be open for business usual.


    D


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